An aminotransferase enzyme catalyzes a transamination reaction between an amino acid and an alpha-keto acid. Alpha-aminotransferases catalyze a reaction that removes the amino group from an amino acid, forming an alpha-keto acid, and transferring the amino group to a reactant α-keto acid, converting the keto acid into an amino acid. Therefore, an aminotransferase is useful in the production of amino acids.
An oxidoreductase enzyme such as a dehydrogenase catalyzes a reaction that oxidizes a substrate by transferring one or more protons and a pair of electrons to an acceptor (e.g., transfers electrons from a reductant to an oxidant). Therefore, an oxidoreductase is useful in catalyzing the oxidative deamination of amino acids to keto acids or the reductive amination of keto acids to amino acids.